


In Vino Veritas

by AlterEgon



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 15:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/599334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlterEgon/pseuds/AlterEgon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On Centauri Prime, with G'Kar as his bodyguard, Londo learns a truth about himself that even he finds surprising.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Vino Veritas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria/gifts).



> I hope you enjoy this!

It was the alcohol.

It had to be the alcohol. He hadn't eaten much all day, and the stress of rushing from one place to another, two meetings in between, talking to this person and that, wearing masks to fit the occasion, promising without becoming too specific, it took a toll even of the best politician over time.

And then, once you got home, once you had a chance to drop those masks and relax a little, and enjoy a glass of liquor, all of a sudden the tension crumbled away and gave way to the oddest little ideas that you would never have considered yourself capable of.

Londo leaned back on the generously upholstered sofa and enjoyed another sip from his glass.

It _had_ been a long day, and he had _had_ deserved a break, and a drink, and a bit of pleasure. He just never would have thought his fantasies embark on that specific route. Really, now.

Where was that bodyguard of his anyway?

Granted, he _was_ in his own villa, one of several he owned on the planet. He was away from the court for the night. It _was_ one of the safest places he could imagine himself to be in and he _had_ told him to feel free to retire for the night. Both of them were getting little enough time out of the company of the other as it was. That, however, had been _before_ his wayward thoughts had started running rampant in his mind.

Well, there had to be some pleasant female within reach to take care of those thoughts. All he had to do was contact the right persons and ask. He closed his mind, trying to conjure up a memory of Adira to get himself into the mood, half-decided that that was the way he wanted to sped the rest of the night until he sank into the sweet oblivion of exhausted sleep.

But try as he might, the mental image of his lover would not come. The head that appeared before his inner eye was just as smooth and hairless – more so, in fact, lacking even the ponytail many Centauri women wore. A spotted head with a face far from the gentle lines of any Centauri woman.

"G'Kar!"

If he took his body-guarding duties as seriously as he seemed to, maybe he actually was within calling distance anyway.

Within seconds, the Narn came racing into the room, skidding to a halt just inside the door and surveying the situation warily. A hint of confusion showed in the distinctive lines of his face.

"What is it, Mollari?" He asked eventually, when he could see no intruder or other reason for which his charge would have needed to call for him.

Londo waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the cabinet that held glasses and more liquor.

"Why don't you get yourself a drink?" he suggested. "I'm lonely. I could use some… company."

G'Kar raised what would have been an eyebrow in a species that had such things.  "I do not drink on duty," he said. It was impossible to tell if he was trying to be funny.

The Centauri rolled his eyes. "Will you at least sit for a while?" he asked.

His bodyguard had apparently indeed retired for the night. Instead of his usual marital uniform, he wore a loose, undyed robe that opened over his chest to reveal another pattern of spots on his skin there, and the pattern of muscles hard as steel below those spots. Londo wondered what it would feel like to put his hands against that chest and…

"Mollari," G'Kar said, watching him warily. "Are you drunk?"

"No," Londo claimed. "But I intend to be." He refilled his glass. How much leering had his eyes betrayed just now? He groped for the bottle and refilled his glass. "I intend to be."

Sighing, G'Kar took a few more steps into the room and positioned himself in one of the armchairs.

Once, the idea of a Narn making himself at home on his furniture like that would have disgusted Londo. Today, all he felt was regret that this specific Narn had chosen to still keep the table between the two of them.

Every one of G'Kar's movements betrayed readiness for combat, an alert tension that would befit a predator on the hunt. Even his seemingly relaxed posture right now would have permitted him to be on his feet and in action in mere fractions of seconds.

Londo reveled in the sight as he took another sip of his drink.

His tentacles were itching for action. Covertly, as he hoped, he slid a hand under his jacket to relieve the worst of it. Soon their twitching would become noticeable. How familiar was G'Kar with Centauri anatomy? Would he be able to tell…?

With a sudden start, he realized that G'Kar had spoken. He was supposed to answer, he assumed, but he had no idea what he had said.

"I – excuse me, my attention wandered there for a bit," he apologized. "What was that?"

A gravelly chuckle sent shivers through the Centauri's body. Why in the _world_ was he reacting like this to – a Narn, of all things?

"I said, do you really consider it prudent to drink yourself into oblivion on the night before an important event like tomorrow's?" G'Kar repeated. His eyes were trained on the glass in Mollari's hands – when had that gotten near-empty again?

Londo refilled it, his aim just barely good enough to avoid a spill anymore. That was mainly the alcohol's fault, too. Mainly.

He ignored G'Kar's words, losing himself for a moment in the eyes intently watching him. One red and one blue. What did G'Kar see through that artificial eye Franklin had given him? Did the loss still pain him? It pained Londo for sure, to be reminded every day of how G'Kar had suffered at the hands of Centauri. Of the torture he had witnessed, unable to stop it in time to prevent permanent harm. He wished he could turn back time and …

"I was once married to three wives," Londo said randomly.

G'kar nodded patiently. "I know."

"The only one I really loved was Adira, though," the Centauri went on.

His companion nodded again, silently this time.

"Do you have a wife, G'Kar?" Londo asked, realizing that he knew little to nothing about the Narn's life away from Babylon 5. He drank again.

G'Kar stared at him for a long moment, obviously weighing his words. Eventually, he spoke.

"I had a mate and a daughter," he said.

"Had?" The liquor made it hard to think. He knew how having a wife could be past tense. But children weren't just divorced…

The Narn's lips twitched. "They died." He said simply. "In a Centauri attack."

His voice held no accusation. To be precise, it held no emotion at all. Londo sat and stared at his bodyguard, mutely, unable to find the right words. Were there any right words for this?

"I'm… I'm so sorry," he choked out eventually. His hand was snaking towards the bottle again.

G'Kar rose to his feet in a single, lithe motion. "No, you won't," he said firmly. "You should go to bed Mollari. Tomorrow must see you awake, not hung-over."

Part of him wanted to protest, but he wasn't that far gone yet. He staggered to his feet, the room swaying around him.

A strong hand closed on his arm, firmly but not painfully so. When had G'Kar come so close?

"Come along, Mollari," G'Kar muttered as he exerted slight pressure to guide him around that table.

Londo leaned into him, glad for the strong, stable presence that kept him safe from the enemy during the day and right now ensured that he would get safely into his chambers in spite of weaving on his feet from having drunk too much, too quickly.

The Narn was about to turn and leave the moment they reached Londo's chamber. He lingered just long enough to see the Centauri fumble awkwardly with his buttons, opening them requiring more coordination than his inebriated brain could muster.

With a sight meant to convey more exasperation than it did, G'Kar entered Mollari's bedroom. Someone was going to have unnecessary work with that uniform, no matter if he managed to rip off the closures or slept in it.

Minutes later, now wearing only a loose night gown, Londo arranged himself under the covers of his bed. He was more weary than the had felt. "G'Kar…" he muttered sleepily. He had to tell him, had to make sure he knew that he was special – so very special …

"What?" G'Kar once again turned around to look back at him.

"G'Kar," Londo repeated as his eyes drifted closed. "I…"

Gentle snores announced that he was not going to finish that particular message that night.

Shaking his head, G'Kar silently closed the door behind him, a silent smile on his lips as he thought of the Centauri sleeping peacefully under his guard.

  
  
Illustration by Rebekah


End file.
